Device for the continuous casting of metals, especially steel, for use in a solidified bending method

ABSTRACT

The invention relates to a device for the continuous casting of metals, especially steel, for use in a solidified-bending method. Said device comprises, downstream of the continuous casting mold, a straight strand guide ( 1 ) and a bending device ( 3 ) that releases the cast strand path ( 2   a ) so that the cold strand ( 5 ) can be introduced. The object of the invention is to utilize the height of the device that has so far not been used for supporting the strand or to reduce the height of the entire installation. To this end, the bending device ( 3 ) comprises a folding segment ( 9 ) that is pivoted on the fixed side ( 1   a ) and that is provided with a row of rollers ( 10 ) that limit the bending path ( 3   c ) in the operational position. The bending device further comprises on the loose side ( 1   b ) a loose element ( 11 ) that can be swiveled into the operational position ( 3   b ) or that can be swiveled out from this position. The bending rollers ( 3   a ) of said loose element form the counter-rollers ( 3   d ) to the row of rollers ( 10 ) in the operational position ( 3   b ).

CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION

This application is a 371 of PCT/EP01/10968, filed on Sep. 22, 2001.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

The invention relates to a device for continuous casting of metals, inparticular, steel, for use in a solidified bending process and includinga vertical strand guide located downstream of a continuous casting mold,a bending driver adjoining the strand guide and bending rollers of whichreciprocate between a cold strand (starter bar) path-releasing positionand an operational position, a bending device for separating a coldstrand from a hot strand and for guiding the hot strand along a radiusto a following straightening driver, and at least one, lower-lying driveroller pair for inserting or withdrawing the cold strand.

2. Description of Related Art

The device described above is disclosed in DE 196 37 545 A1. There, adevice for diverting a thin slab, which is cast in a continuous castingmold, from a vertical in a horizontal direction with the listedfeatures, is described. With such CSP-casting machines, the strand guideis formed as a vertical part. This provides a number of advantages.Beneath the strand guide, which adjoins the continuous casting mold,there is arranged a bending driver that performs the functions of“driving hot and cold strand” and bending of a solidified hot strand ina radius. The radius varies between 3000 and 3250 mm in many generationsof CSP-casting machines.

The bending driver with the radius require a height of about 4,000 mm.This height and an associated strand path, up to the present, have notbeen used in a strand guide.

An object of the present invention is to utilize the height, which up tothe present has not been used, for guiding the strand or to reduce thetotal height.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The object of the invention is achieved according to the invention,based on the device described above, by providing a bending driverconsisting, on the one hand, of a folding segment pivotally supported ona fixed side and provided with a row of rollers which limit a bendingpath in an operational position and, on the other hand, of a looseelement displaceable or pivotable, on a loose side, into and out of theoperational position and bending rollers of which form, respectively, inthe operational position, counter-rollers to rollers of the roller row,by displacing the loose element in and out of the operational positionwith paired, extending parallel to each other piston-cylinder units, andby displacing the loose element in a free space with respect to the hotstrand for overbending, i.e., for separating the hot strand from thecold strand.

Thereby, not only all of the functions of a conventional bending driverare performed, while retaining a cold strand system of a straight coldstrand that has proved itself but, in addition, an increased strandsupport length is obtained due to the segmented construction andaddition of guide rollers. Moreover, the production output can benoticeably increased. Further, the existing CSP-plants can be easilymodified with little costs as the existing base elements can be used.The folding segment can be formed as a vertical segment as all otherstrand guide segments. The path of the cold strand becomes reduced, anda separation of the strand guide into the folding segment and the looseelement takes place.

According to further features of the invention, in order to limit thepath of the introduction of the cold strand the folding segment, whichis located on the fixed side, is supported on an above-located pivotaxle and is connected with a hydraulic piston-cylinder unit, which islocated opposite the pivot axle, for displacement in and out of theoperational position.

A further improvement consists in that in the region of the verticalstrand guide, on the fixed side, there is provided a base frame whichsupports the piston-cylinder unit for the folding segment. Thereby, thehydraulic cylinder can be supported on a base.

Also, a heat protection can be provided, with the base frame beingprovided, on its side facing the vertical strand guide, withwater-cooled bolster plates.

The opening width for the cold strand can further be widened, with alonger strand guide, by providing in the folding segment, according toan alternative proposition, of a segment element which reciprocates onthe folding segment transverse to a direction of the cast strand.

Further function can be obtained by providing on the folding segment,remotely from the cast strand path, a projection with which the pistoncylinder unit for pivoting the folding segment is connected.

According to further features, the displaceable, in the folding segment,segment element is provided with its own displacement drive.

In order to further lengthen the strand guide and thereby to reduce theplant height, it is proposed to arrange in a strand displacementdirection, behind the folding segment and in front of the straighteningdriver, a circular strand guide segment.

With a corresponding height of the plant, the strand guide can furtherbe lengthened by arranging in the strand displacement direction, infront of the folding segment, an additional vertical element.

According to another arrangement of the folding segment, the foldingsegment is arranged on the frame of the drive roller pair for the coldstrand and is vertically extended.

A further advantage consists in that the piston-cylinder units of theloose element, in connection with a following liquid core reduction, arehydraulically controlled.

The embodiments of the invention, which are shown in the drawings, willbe described in detail below.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING

The drawings show:

FIG. 1 a side view of a continuous casting device upon insertion of acold strand;

FIG. 2 the same side view upon separation of the hot strand from thecold strand;

FIG. 3 the same side view upon setting of loose elements in anoperational position;

FIG. 4 the side view of the continuously casting device with acontinuously operating straightening driver;

FIG. 5 a side view of an alternative embodiment of a continuous castingdevice and in which the folding segment includes a segment element lyingoutside of an operational position upon insertion of a cold strand;

FIG. 6 the same side view upon separation of the hot strand from thecold strand;

FIG. 7 the same side view with the folding segment, segment element, anda loose element being in an operational position; and

FIG. 8 a side view of the continuously casting device, with foldingsegment and the segment element in an operational position and with acontinuously operated straightening driver.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

The device for continuous casting of metal, in particular steel, is usedin a solidified-bending process at which a hot strand 2 solidifies uponpassing through a vertical, straight strand guide 1 arranged downstreamof an end of a continuously casting mold. A bending driver 3 adjoins thestraight strand guide 1. The bending driver 3 has bending rollers 3 athat move from a position in which they release the cold strand path 4,into an operational position and back. Besides, there is provided abending device for separating a hot strand 2 from a cold strand 5. Thebending driver 3 guides the hot strand after separation along a radius 6in a straightening driver 7. A located downstream, drive roll pair 8serves for insertion or withdrawal of the cold strand 5.

As shown in FIG. 1, the bending driver 3 includes folding segment 9pivotally supported on a fixed side 1 a and provided with a row of 10rollers which limit the bending path 3 c in the operational position 3 b(FIG. 3). Opposite the folding segment 9, on the loose side 1 b, thereis provided a loose element 11 pivotable in and out of the operationalposition 3 b and the bending rollers 3 a of which form, respectively,counter-rollers 3 d to the separate rollers of the row 10 in theoperational position 3 b.

The folding segment 9, which is provided on the fixed side 1 a, ispivotally supported on an axle 12 in the upper portion thereof. Oppositethe pivot axle 12, at least one hydraulic piston-cylinder unit 13 isconnected to the folding segment 9 for displacing it into and out of theoperational position 3 b.

Opposite the folding segment 9, on a loose side 1 b, there is providedan adjustable loose element 11 adjustable with paired, arranged parallelto each other, piston-cylinder units 14.

In the region 15 of the vertical strand guide 1, on the fixed side 1 a,there is provided a base frame 16 that supports the piston-cylinder unit13 for the folding segment 9.

The base frame 16 is provided, at least on its side facing the verticalstrand guide 1, with water-cooled bolster plate 17.

The loose element 11 (FIG. 2) is adjustable in a free space on the looseside 1 b to provide for its overbending, i.e., for separating the hotstrand 2 from the cold strand 5.

FIG. 3 shows the folding segment 9 and the loose element 11 in theoperational position 3 b, with the cold strand 5 being lowered and thehot strand 2 being movable into the straightening driver 7.

In the operational position shown in FIG. 4, the hot strand 2 iscontinuously guided through the bending driver 3 and past an outerroller of a drive roller pair into the straightening driver 7.

The alternative embodiment with the otherwise the same functions andprocesses is shown in FIGS. 5-8.

Within the pivotal folding segment 9, a segment element 18 reciprocatesin guides of the folding segment 9 transverse to the continuous castingpath 2 a (FIG. 5). Thereby, an even larger opening width for passing ofthe cold strand 5 is formed, whereby the strand guide, i.e., the numberof rollers in the roller row 10 can be increased. The folding segmentbecomes even longer. Remotely from the cast strand path 2 a, aprojection 19 is provided on the folding segment 9 with which thepiston-cylinder unit 13 for pivoting the folding segment 9 is connected.A segment element 18, which displaces within the folding segment 9, isequipped with its own displacement drive 20.

The entire strand guide can further be lengthened. To this end, behindthe folding segment 9, in the direction of movement of the strand 21,and in front of the straightening driver 7, there is arranged a circularstrand guide segment 22. The strand guide becomes even longer furtherdown by using the space that has not been used previously, so that theentire length can further be reduced.

An additional lengthening of the strand support in the strand movementdirection 21 can be achieved by providing a vertical section 23 upstreamof the folding segment 9.

The folding segment 9 can also be supported on a frame 24 of the driveroller pair 8 for the cold strand and, thus, be extended.

Finally, the piston-cylinder unit 14 of the loose element 11 inconnection with the following LCT (liquid-core-reduction) ishydraulically controlled.

Reference Numerals

1 Vertical straight strand guide

1 a Fixed side

1 b Loose side

2 Hot strand

2 a Cast strand path

3 Bending driver

3 a Bending rollers

3 b Operational position

3 c Bending path

3 d Counter-rollers

4 Cold strand path

5 Cold strand

6 Radius

7 Straightening driver

8 Drive roller pair for a cold strand

9 Folding segment

10 Roller row

11 Loose element

12 Pivot axle

13 Hydraulic piston-cylinder unit

14 Hydraulic piston-cylinder unit

15 Region of the vertical strand guide

16 Base frame

17 Water-cooled bolster plate

18 Segment element

19 Projection

20 Displacement drive

21 Strand movement direction

22 Circular strand guide segment

23 Vertical section

24 Frame

What is claimed is:
 1. A device for continuous casting of metals, inparticular steel, for use in a solidified bending process, comprising avertical strand guide located downstream of a continuous casting mold, abending driver adjoining the strand guide and bending rollers of whichreciprocate between a cold strand path-releasing position and anoperational position, a bending device for separating a cold strand froma hot strand for guiding the hot strand along a radius to a followingstraightening driver, and at least one, lower lying drive roller pairfor inserting or withdrawing the cold strand, characterized in that thebending driver (3) consists, on one hand, of a folding segment (9)pivotally supported on a fixed side and provided with a row (10) ofrollers which limit a bending path (3 c) in an operational position (3b) and, on the other hand, of a loose element (11) displaceable orpivotable, on a loose side (1 b), into and out of the operationalposition (3 b) and bending rollers (3 a) of which form, respectively, inthe operational position (3 b), counter-rollers (3 d) to rollers of theroller row (10); the adjustable loose element (11) is displaceable intoand out of the operational position (3 b) with paired, arranged parallelto each other, piston-cylinder units (14); and the loose element (11) isdisplaceable in a free space on the loose side (1 b) with respect to thehot strand for overbending, i.e., for separating the hot strand (2) fromthe cold strand (5).
 2. A device according to claim 1, characterized inthat the folding segment (9), which is located on the fixed side (1 a),is supported on an above-located pivot axle (12) and is connected with ahydraulic piston-cylinder unit (13), which is located opposite the pivotaxle (12), for displacement in and out of the operational position (3b).
 3. A device according to claim 1, characterized in that in theregion (15) of the vertical strand guide (1), on the fixed side (1 a),there is provided a base frame (16) with which the piston-cylinder unit(13) for the folding segment (9) is connected.
 4. A device according toclaim 3, characterized in that the base frame (16) is provided, on aside thereof facing the vertical strand guide (1) with water-cooledbolster plates (17).
 5. A device according to claim 1, characterized inthat within the folding segment (9), a segment element (18) reciprocateson the folding segment (9) transverse to a direction of the cast strandpath (2 a).
 6. A device according to claim 5, characterized in that onthe folding segment (9), remotely from the cast strand path (2 a), thereis provided a projection (19) with which the piston cylinder unit (13)for pivoting the folding segment (9) is connected.
 7. A device accordingto claim 6, characterized in that the displaceable, in the foldingsegment (9), segment element (18) is provided with its own displacementdrive (20).
 8. A device according to claim 1, characterized in that in astrand displacement direction (21), behind the folding segment (9) andin front of the straightening driver (7), a circular strand guidesegment (22) is arranged.
 9. A device according to claim 1,characterized in that in the strand displacement direction (21), infront of the folding segment (9), an additional vertical element (23) isarranged.
 10. A device according to claim 1, characterized in that thefolding segment (9) is arranged on a frame (24) of the cold strand driveroller pair (8) and is vertically extended.
 11. A device according toclaim 1, characterized in that the piston-cylinder units (14) of theloose element (11), in connection with a following liquid corereduction, are hydraulically controlled.